Help/Advice re complaint to ambulance service.

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Nicely.

Of course. How did you frame the "complaint" tho.

 

[Sara_H]

Of course. How did you frame the "complaint" tho.

Not sure I understand. I set the scene, explained what I thought the problem was, asked them to investigate and remedy the problem for future service users.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Not sure I understand. I set the scene, explained what I thought the problem was, asked them to investigate and remedy the problem for future service users.

I am wondering if you made specific reference to the person rather than their actions; my experience of these matters is to try to de-personalise things. Then if they ask for examples you can always reply that you do not have the other persons consent. Focus on the action.

 

[Sara_H]

I am wondering if you made specific reference to the person rather than their actions; my experience of these matters is to try to de-personalise things. Then if they ask for examples you can always reply that you do not have the other persons consent. Focus on the action.

Ah I see. I did give her details so they could trace the call and listen to the recording.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Ah I see. I did give her details so they could trace the call and listen to the recording.

That's maybe why they are taking the approach they are. Not that it's right, of course, but the "people" (I tend to think they are mostly in some way born of loveless marriages) who deal with these matters tend not to make a connection to other (real) people being involved, rather they focus on why they cannot take action due to their interpretation (mostly based on fear)

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

P.S. I get this kind of complaint on a regular basis and reply honestly without need to refer to individual circumstances as I can read through what the intention of the complaint is. I usually offer to meet with the letter writer to discuss their concerns.

 

[CopperBrompton]

NHS complaints procedures are designed to provide the maximum number of obstacles to a complaint progressing. Many years ago, a serious mistake by Whipps Cross hospital came very close to killing me. Naively believing that the complaints procedure would ensure the same thing couldn't happen to someone else, I followed it.

I had to be incredibly persistent as it was almost closed half a dozen times along the way. The final result was an apology and the vaguest of assurances about unspecified steps that would be taken to prevent a reoccurrence. I was left with zero confidence that anything would change, and frankly wouldn't bother next time.